What’s On In Los Angeles In December

This December, explore Los Angeles through the best events the city has to offer, like holiday celebrations, film festivals, and concerts, plus art, fashion, and food events. Read on to browse our top picks for this month and mark your calendars with your favorites.

Enjoy a classic holiday celebration by visiting Disneyland at Christmas, when the park lights up with holiday decorations and seasonal themed characters. This year, you can also look forward to the brand new Disney Festival of Holidays at California Adventure, featuring food, music, and live entertainment.

Let your wild side out by visiting the LA Zoo Lights, a light show put on by DWP in Griffith Park. The display will feature LED lights, lasers, 3D projections, animal-themed sets, and interactive displays. The event will also feature some of the best lights from the original DWP Holiday Light Festival.

Head over to Six Flags Magic Mountain this month for Holiday in the Park, when the park lights up with festive light shows, holiday décor and goods, and lots of entertainment. Enjoy your favorite amusement park rides and games while reveling in a festive holiday atmosphere, accompanied by carolers and Santa himself.

Enjoy a visit to Knott’s Berry Farm this season to partake in classic holiday traditions and amusement park fun at one of the most affordable holiday park celebrations in Los Angeles. Ride the rides, watch holiday shows, eat festive food, and do some holiday shopping.

This year marks the second annual Mac and Cheese Smackdown, a festive celebration decked out with the best mac and cheese southern California has to offer. Restaurants will be serving creative twists on this classic comfort food, leading to an intense competition to earn the title of LA’s best mac and cheese. Tickets include mac and cheese tastings as well as accompanying drinks.

Get a full belly laugh this month at the Here Comes the Funny Tour, taking place Downtown at the Microsoft Theater. The tour will feature some of the biggest names in comedy, including Adam Sandler, Norm Macdonald, Tim Meadows, Rob Schneider, David Spade and Nick Swardson. This event is intended for mature audiences.

Don’t miss out on this month’s Downtown LA Artwalk, an event that takes place on the second Thursday of every month. The event opens up over 40 galleries and museums around the district to the public, bringing together around 10,000 visitors each month. In addition to exploring the galleries, grab a bite to eat at a selection of food trucks.

Gear up for this year’s SantaCon celebration, bringing together thousands of people to day drink through the streets of Los Angeles. Wear full-on Santa attire and you will fit right in as locals embark on a bar crawl across the city. Exact locations are TBA, so keep up with the event Facebook page for updates.

Location TBD

FUN | Santa Monica Pub Crawl

Sat Dec 10th

If you’d prefer to stick to the west side, hit up the Santa Monica Pub Crawl instead. This year marks the 8th annual occurrence of the pub crawl, which charges a $20 advance admittance fee that benefits the Westside Food bank. The crawl will take you through hot spots like Tacoteca, Cabo Cantina, Ye Olde King’s Head, The Albright, and more.

If you’re looking for a spot to get your holiday shopping done, be sure to check out the Los Angeles Renegade Craft Fair. The fair will showcase goods from hundreds of the most talented indie craftspeople in the country, so you can be sure to find the perfect, unique gifts for all your loved ones.

For an authentic Las Posadas celebration, visit Olveras Street on one of nine nights, starting on December 16th. The event will feature a performance in which Mary and Joseph wander from house to house looking for an inn to stay in. Entertainment will begin at 6PM, and the performance will start at 7:30PM.

Visit the Zimmer Children’s Museum for a chance to celebrate a family-friendly Hanukkah at the Hanukkah Festival of Lights. The event will be a day full of fun activities, like story time with Julie Jacobs and a special guest performance. There will be plenty of light-themed activities on tap, accompanied by glow-in-the-dark dreidels and more. Admission is $7.

For another chance to get some incredible holiday shopping, head over to the SoCal Etsy Guild Market. The market will bring together artists, crafters, and designers throughout Southern California at various locations in the area. The SoCal Etsy Guild itself is a team on Etsy that has grown to huge proportions since its founding in 2012.

This year, don’t miss the Magical Christmas Caroling Truck as it drives through the neighborhood of Toluca Lake. This event takes place on Christmas Eve each year from 5PM to 11PM, driving a festive holiday truck around town filled with musicians and singers that will delight your ears.

The Tournament of Roses takes place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena every year for over a century. The festival brings together flowers, music, and sports, including the famous Rose Bowl Parade and college football. This is a huge New Year’s celebration that no Angeleno should miss.

If you’re looking for a way to celebrate New Year’s Eve, check out the Grand Park New Year’s Eve LA. This event will be family friendly and affordable, opening up three blocks of Grand Park including City Hall. There, you can enjoy music, dancing, art installations, 3D projections, a countdown, and photobooths.

Another great New Year’s option is Countdown NYE, which brings together about 30,000 people each year. The event will feature dance performances, confetti, and DJ music. The event will last from 4PM to 2AM, with performances happening on three separate stages. Check the website to see when the full lineup is out.